


Secret Admirer

by MoonCat163



Category: Loki (Marvel) - Fandom, Loki Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Be my Valentine, Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Fluff, Loki likes chocolate, Secret Admirer, Stolen Date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22470022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonCat163/pseuds/MoonCat163
Summary: As St. Valentine’s approaches, most mortals are preparing to spend money on loads of chocolates, bushels of flowers and insane amounts of food and champagne.When Loki receives chocolates anonymously, he doesn’t mind since he’s a chocoholic anyway; but when they keep coming, he realizes, with the help of Jane Foster and Bruce Banner, that the gesture means something more, something that he may not be prepared for.
Relationships: Loki/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 197





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of fluff. Happy Valentine’s Day - I know it’s not quite here yet, I hope your day is great!

Loki loved chocolate. Almost everyone knew that. 

He was a connoisseur and very selective about it. 

He didn’t care for dark chocolate, and white chocolate went immediately into the garbage, usually preceded by an ancient curse. 

Milk chocolate with caramel was his absolute favorite; nuts were an added bonus. 

It was four weeks before Valentine’s Day when the first box of chocolates appeared on Loki’s workspace in the lab where he worked with Dr. Jane Foster, and occasionally Dr. Bruce Banner. 

You were the only one there when he came in, having arrived earlier to turn on equipment and computers so that you could start analyzing the data. He nodded his head at you when you glanced up from your monitors, and that was the extent of your greeting ritual. 

“What’s this?” He asked, while turning the box over in his hands. 

“Candy,” you replied, after another quick glance at him from over the top of your glasses. 

“Did you put it here?”

“No, sir, the mailroom did.”

“Interesting,” he commented, but wasted no time opening it. 

It was a small box, with only a dozen pieces, and he would have them consumed in no time at all. Really, it was just enough to make him mad. 

He made an appreciative sound after popping a piece into his mouth, then walked over to where you were working. A slight nudge on your shoulder caused you to turn your head slightly to find that he’d held the box out to offer it to you. 

“Oh. Thank you, sir.”

He waited until you had selected a piece before moving away. While he ate the remaining candy, he stopped at the various monitors for a quick glance. Jane and Bruce came in just as he finished the last candy. 

“What’s that?” Bruce asked Loki, after greeting you. 

“An empty box.” 

You ducked behind your monitors and just managed not to laugh. Loki could be very entertaining when he wanted to be, especially if it was at someone’s expense. 

On most days, however, he was difficult to deal with; he had a wicked temper that no one wanted turned toward them. You knew that if one just paid attention to him and his temperament, they were less likely to draw his ire.

You learned all this by observation, and tended to keep quiet and out of the way, sticking close to Jane or Bruce, or even Tony or Thor if they were present. 

“Looks like Valentine candy,” Jane remarked. 

“What’s that?” Loki asked, looking at the box again. 

“Was there a card on it?” Bruce asked. 

“No.” Now Loki started getting suspicious. 

“Secret admirer?” Bruce asked Jane. 

“Secret admirer,” she agreed before coming to sit beside you. 

“What?” Loki said again. 

“It’s obvious someone has a crush on you, though for the life of me I can’t imagine why,” Bruce replied, while going to his own station. “But, you know, it could just as easily be poison…”

Loki turned the box in his hands again, looking for a card or note, then tossed it in the wastebasket. Jane gave you a little grin before her attention returned to the monitors. 

— — —-

Later that week, another box of chocolates appeared at Loki’s workstation. Although the gesture bewildered him, he had no problem eating them all, save the one he’d offered to you, since you almost always were the first in the lab, getting everything ready for him and Jane. 

“This says ‘sampler,’” he commented. “What does that mean?”

You approached him so that you could look at the candy box. 

“Oh, this company sells a much bigger box than this one,” you replied. “The thing is **_huge_ ** _—“_ (here you held out your arms to indicate a substantial container) “and has all types of flavors and fillings.”

“Oh?” He asked, obviously interested. 

“Yeah, but no one really likes the cream filling. Frankly, they’re disgusting, and they have the white chocolate, too.”

Loki made a little face at that before he threw the empty box away. He remained in his chair until Jane arrived, then they both went to work. While they were huddled close together to go through a report that you’d composed for them, you stole a glance at the dark-haired prince. 

Loki didn’t much care for Midgardians, as he and Thor called humans, but there were some that he tolerated more than others. 

You were fortunate that he seemed to like you somewhat, partially due to the fact that you stayed out of his way, and had the reports and analysis ready before he asked for them. You also would occasionally offer to get tea for him when you went to get coffee for Jane and yourself. 

You’d been in the lab for almost two months now, and realized almost from the very beginning just how intelligent Loki was. Some of the things he said were hard to apply to Jane’s work, but once the connection was made, it all made sense: you just had to become familiar with the way that he spoke. 

In those two months, you’d seen a different side of Loki. He was still standoffish and snarky with most people, but you also suspected that deep down, he was a bit lonely. He only had Thor, as no one really wanted to get too close to him. 

Even though he was tall, handsome, and perfectly put together, you had yet to see a woman take a genuine interest in him. He certainly hadn’t shown an interest in anyone outside his small circle of acquaintances. 

There had been a couple of women that had tried to get to Thor through him, and the efforts had ended badly. Then there the ones who went for him directly just because of his “bad boy” image, thinking perhaps that they’d be the one to change him. 

They had learned their error _very_ quickly; Loki might be a prince, but he wasn’t like any prince they dreamed of. He wasn’t always chivalrous, and he had a way of making one feel small and incredibly stupid. 

Now he had candy being sent to him anonymously, just weeks before most humans went out of their way to show their significant others an almost obscene amount of attention. Candy, flowers, cards, romantic getaways and jewelry were all exchanged on Valentine’s Day, then things went back to normal. 

Everyone in his immediate circle took notice of it, and waited to see what would come of it.

— — — 

The next week saw more candy being delivered, still anonymously, and still Loki’s favorite types. He would examine the package carefully, looking for a note or something that would lead him to the sender. 

One day, Thor was in the lab early for a visit. He greeted you with a warm smile, and even took your hand to place a kiss on your fingers. His beard scratched a bit, and you knew you were blushing, but you couldn’t help it. 

Thor was gentle and open, with a quick smile. He reminded you of a fluffy Golden Retriever puppy mixed with a ray of sunshine, but you’d seen him fight and knew that he would end his opponent. His eyes were so very blue and mesmerizing, and caused you to stare longer than you meant to. 

He'd heard about Loki’s gifts and came to the lab to see for himself. Loki hadn’t opened the box yet, but he didn’t look to be in a sharing mood. 

Loki watched the exchange silently, wondering why it bothered him that when Thor came to the lab, he greeted you in the same manner each time. Of course, Thor showed Jane more attention, but still...

“Who would be sending you chocolates?” Thor asked while reaching for the candy. 

Loki kept the box out of his brother’s reach, to Thor’s dismay. He liked candy almost as much as Loki did. 

“I’ve no idea,” Loki replied. 

“Probably someone who doesn’t know you very well,” Bruce said, from his workspace. 

Loki scowled at him, while slowly opening his gift. Once again, Thor reached for it, but Loki stood and came over to offer you a piece first. You thanked him, made a selection, then went back to work. 

“You really don’t know who could be sending these?” Thor asked, after Loki relented and gave him a piece. 

“No.”

“Curious,” Thor said, thoughtfully. 

— — —

After work, you went straight to your apartment. You changed into something more comfortable, then ate a light dinner before moving to stare out the large window in your living room. 

Living in Avengers Tower had its perks, and its drawbacks. One such perk was that you saw most of the Avengers, not counting Bruce, at least once a week. Also, you didn’t have to fight traffic to get to work, and you could work from home if you wanted. 

The one drawback that you could think of was seeing Loki each day, being close to him, yet being unable to tell him how you felt about him. You were insanely attracted to him, yet terrified of how he would react if (or when) he discovered who had been sending the candy. 

Loki always treated you well, but he never took notice of you when outside the lab, other than with a slight nod if you happened to pass each other. 

You were tempted to stop the deliveries; if you humiliated yourself, you would never be able to face him again. You would just have to change labs, or jobs, if the fallout was bad enough. 

But then you knew that you’d miss any shot that you didn’t take, and decided it was worth the risk. 

— — —

Something different arrived with the next delivery, causing Loki to stare at the box for a couple of minutes. This package had been delivered to the front desk of the building, then brought directly up to him. 

“Ooh, chocolate covered strawberries!” Jane exclaimed. “Those are the best!”

“You’re moving on up,” Bruce told him. 

You watched him tentatively bite into one, and you could tell that he liked them. He didn’t share this time, but that was alright with you. They had been for him anyway. 

The next delivery also was the strawberries, and again, he ate them all without offering to share. 

— — — 

As the Big Day approached, your anxiety grew. Several times you had gone online to stop the deliveries, but you always talked yourself out of it. 

Besides, you had made reservations for two at a popular restaurant, hopeful that you would have a “plus one” to join you. If not, you could always say that you’d been stood up. 

It was now one week until Valentine’s, and twice that week, Loki received a box of chocolate covered cherries; you could see that he enjoyed them, but he mentioned to Jane that he had liked the strawberries better. 

_Something to remember,_ you thought, making a mental note. 

— — —

Three days before Valentine’s, Loki received more candy, plus a vase with a single red rose. He touched the flower speculatively before moving it out of the way so that it wouldn’t get knocked over. 

An hour later, he stood up in order to get tea from the break room. 

“Would you like coffee?” He asked you, since you two were the only ones in the lab at the moment. 

“Not just yet, but I appreciate it, sir,” you replied. “I’m almost finished compiling these figures so that I can get the report ready for you and Dr. Foster.”

“Loki,” he said, unexpectedly.

“Pardon?” You were slightly startled. 

“You may call me ‘Loki’, there is no need for ‘sir,’” he explained. 

“Oh, alright, — Loki,” you amended. “Thank you.”

He nodded before leaving the room. By the time he returned, you had your report done and Jane had arrived. She was already devouring the data you’d compiled, so it was as good a time as any to go get coffee. 

While you added creamer and sugar to your coffee, you overheard two female Stark employees talking between themselves. 

“Sean from the mailroom told me that someone's been sending Thor’s brother candy, and today he got a single rose.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Apparently he hasn’t figured out who’s been doing it, though. There hasn’t been a name or card on any of it.”

 _Crap,_ you thought. _Now the whole tower is likely aware of Loki’s gifts._

You hadn’t thought that far ahead, and now it seemed that a lot of people had a vested interest in seeing just who had gone out on the proverbial limb to show interest in the temperamental prince. Sean from the mailroom was a known blabbermouth, and if he’s told one person about the deliveries, then he’s told dozens more. 

_Oh, well, just a couple more days, and it’ll all be over._

You wondered how quickly you could find a new apartment and a new job after Loki publicly rejected you. You would never be able to face him, or anyone, after the humiliation. 

— — —

On Valentine’s Day, you were in the lab early, as usual, when the final gift was delivered. Half a dozen red roses, along with chocolate covered strawberries. The guy that brought them up practically shoved them into your hands when you opened the lab door for him. 

So, you took them to Loki’s workspace, taking a moment to straighten the flowers, since it appeared that they may have been tipped over. When you did so, the card fell out onto the desk. It looked like it had been opened already, likely by Mailroom Sean. 

Just as you were putting the card back onto the little plastic holder, Loki’s voice startled you. 

“What do I have today?”

“Good morning, s— uh, Loki.” You hoped that you weren’t blushing or shaking too badly. “This just came, and the card fell out when I set it down.”

“I see.”

He walked closer and plucked the card out of its holder, and immediately noticed that it appeared to have been opened. 

“It came that way,” you told him, very softly. “I was straightening the flowers and noticed that it may have been opened.”

“Nothing to worry about,” he replied. “I suppose it was someone trying to solve the puzzle.”

“Yes,” you replied, moving away to your workstation. 

Loki was quiet for a couple minutes while he read the card, and then he opened the strawberries. He came over to offer you one, nodding when you thanked him. 

“Are you familiar with a restaurant called Harlequin?” He asked, curiously. 

“I’ve been a couple of times,” you replied, glancing up at him. “It’s really popular at Valentine’s. You have to get reservations early if you hope to get a table.”

“Hmmm.” Loki still had the card in his hand but then he slipped it into a pocket. “Apparently the person who’s been sending me candy has also made a reservation there.”

“Oh?” Your pulse went haywire and you were sure that he would be able to hear your heartbeat. 

“Yes,” he responded. 

Before he could say anything else, Jane and Bruce came into the lab. You’d finished your reports and had sent them already, so you got up and stretched slightly. 

“I’m going for coffee,” you told them. “Would anyone like something?”

“Tea?” Loki asked. 

“Sure.”

Jane and Bruce declined anything, so you went to the break room to calm your nerves and to get your caffeine fix. While you made your coffee, you were lost in thought until someone said your name. 

One of the female employees that had been talking about Loki the other day stood beside you. 

“Yes?”

“I asked if you worked in the same lab with Loki,” she said. 

“I do,” you replied. 

“I’ve heard that he really likes chocolate. Do you know what is his favorite?”

“White chocolate,” you heard yourself say. “He adores white chocolate.”

“Great! Thank you!”

You stayed longer than you usually did, still trying to calm down, and also wondering what the other woman was up to. Just before you left, you made Loki’s tea so that it would still be hot when you got back. 

Once you returned to the lab, you carefully set it within reach but away from his papers and computer. 

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

— — —

Throughout the day, Loki’s attention wasn’t on the work in the lab. He’d been thinking about the candies, flowers and now the invitation to a trendy Midgardian restaurant to meet the person who’d sent them to him. 

He searched his memory but couldn’t think who the secret admirer might be. He could find out by going to the restaurant, but then he wasn’t sure whether he really wanted to know. Perhaps it was best not to encourage the person, in case it was someone that he couldn’t tolerate. 

While he sat at his desk musing, his gaze landed on you for several minutes. You were staring at your monitors, head propped on your hand while scribbling away with your left hand, something he’d noticed almost from the beginning, seeing that it was somewhat unusual on Asgard. 

You hadn’t been assigned to the lab for very long but you’d fit in nicely. He appreciated the fact that you didn’t seem to be too excitable, and hadn’t fainted the first time he’d thrown a tantrum. You were efficient in getting the reports to him and Jane each day, usually earlier than needed, before moving on to something else. 

Loki thought about the invitation again. It had only said that she’d be wearing a green dress and that she looked forward to seeing him. 

Perhaps he wouldn’t mind so much if _you_ were the one waiting for him. He watched when you took off your glasses, then stretched slightly before getting back to work. 

With that, he turned his attention back to his own work. 

— — —

Later that day, after work was done, you were in the process of getting dressed. Well, the process hadn’t really started yet: you’d paced for nearly half an hour, talking yourself in and out of going. 

Your dress had been laid across your bed, waiting until your hair and makeup were done. You rarely wore a lot of makeup and didn’t want to overdo it, but you did want to appear like you’d put _some_ effort into getting ready. 

So you took time with a curling iron to put soft curls in your hair, then applied makeup, mascara and eyeliner. A light application of perfume completed the process, other than a lip color that you hadn’t decided on yet. 

Once you were dressed, you studied yourself in the mirror, then applied a soft mocha lip gloss. 

_Here goes nothing,_ you thought. _Go big or go home._

— — —

A cold rain had started just as you were leaving Stark Tower; you didn’t have an umbrella with you, and didn’t want to go all the way back up to your apartment to get one, so you decided to chance it.

When you arrived at the restaurant, you went into the ladies’ room to make sure that your hair was holding up, since you’d gotten slightly wet while waiting for a taxi. Then you followed the hostess to your table after checking your coat. 

Once seated, you took turns looking out the window or at the menu. As the time drew near for Loki to arrive, or not, you seriously thought that you might just faint. 

_What were you thinking?!?_ You told yourself. _There’s no way he’s gonna be interested in you!_

When he didn’t show up at the appointed time, your disappointment nearly crushed you. 

_I guess you got your answer, didn’t ya?_

_Shut up,_ You told the voice in your head. _Maybe he’s running late, and it’s not like he can call me to let me know._

You waited a while longer before finally giving up. A waiter came over at your summons. 

“Can I take this champagne with me, since it’s not opened?” You asked him, while handing him your debit card. “Apparently I’ve been stood up.”

“That's a shame,” he replied. “I’ll get it packaged for you.”

“Thank you.”

When the waiter returned with your card and the neatly packed champagne, you got up to leave. While making your way around the tables filled with couples, you were shocked to see Loki sitting with the woman that had asked you about his favorite candy. 

She wore a green dress; it took a moment for you to realize what had happened. 

The little witch had _jacked your date!_

Now her question made sense, as did the open card that accompanied the roses that morning. 

_Good luck with that white chocolate, dear,_ you thought, rather viciously. _He’s going to know pretty quick that you didn’t send the other gifts._

— — — 

The evening was a total disaster, by your reckoning. 

Your date had been stolen.

The restaurant had lost your coat (or more likely had given it to someone else.)

Then, while you were waiting (in the cold, mind you) for a valet to hail a cab, a passing car had gone through a water puddle, therefore splashing water your way. The valet tried to shield you with the umbrella he held, but was only able to protect your face and upper body. The skirt of your dress and your suede boots were soaked through with ice cold water, making you even more miserable. 

When you got back to the tower, instead of heading directly up to your apartment, you made a detour to the small pub tucked away in a corner of the ground floor. At this point, you didn’t care how you looked. You needed something stronger than champagne and didn’t have anything at home that would fit the bill. 

— — —

Loki tried to keep an expression of boredom off his face while his companion chattered on about how excited she was that he’d met up with her. 

Lacey...no, Lindsey… _(Norns, what was her name?)_ had barely stopped talking since they sat down. 

Loki quickly decided that it had been a bad idea to respond to the invitation. Lacey was pretty enough but not his cup of tea. 

He was already devising an escape plan when he saw you leaving, _alone,_ with a package in your hand. He noticed that you also wore a green dress.

Everything made sense now, he suddenly realized. He almost smiled at how you'd managed to stay off his radar each time he’d received those gifts. 

“So, Lacey,” he interrupted her apologetically. “You’ve been sending me candy, then the flowers?”

“I hope you liked them,” she replied, while pushing a small box toward him. “I brought these for you, too.”

“Thank you, it’s very kind of you.” He knew instantly that she had lied, of course.

Loki opened the box and smiled softly. Lacey took this to mean that he was pleased with the gift. 

“I know that white chocolate is your favorite,” she told him. 

“Actually, I prefer milk chocolate,” he responded, watching while her smile faded. “You didn’t send me candy these last four weeks, did you now?”

Lacey started to reply but he raised a finger to stop her. 

“Before you say anything, I should warn you that I will know if you lie.”

— — —

When Loki had ended the faux date and returned to the tower, you were still in the pub. He saw you immediately once he entered in order to have a drink before he went to his apartment. His date had ended way too soon, and he didn’t want to explain to Thor and the others why he was back so early. 

You sat at the bar with your head resting on your folded arms. He silently joined you, just watching and waiting. 

“Hello.” 

Your shoulders stiffened at the sound of his voice. 

_No! Not now, not now, not now…._ You thought, not wanting to face him while looking like something that a dog had dragged in. 

You turned your head slightly to find that he had leaned against the bar with one arm propped on the polished wood. 

“Are you alright?” Loki then asked, when you didn’t raise your head but instead hid your eyes again. 

“Yeah, sure, just peachy,” you muttered. 

_Lie._

Loki sat on the barstool next to you and ordered a drink. While waiting, he studied you again. 

“Are you intoxicated?”

“Not yet.”

He didn’t say anything for several minutes. He wasn’t really sure where to start, since he felt that he’d deduced who had sent him all the candy and flowers. 

“I saw you at the restaurant, didn’t I?”

“Yes,” you replied, you voice muffled. 

“Were you waiting on your date?”

“Yes.” This time a sniffle accompanied your response. 

“What happened?” 

“My date was jacked.” Another sniffle, then he noticed that your shoulders were trembling. 

“I’m not familiar with that term,” Loki said. 

“ _Stolen,_ my date was stolen. Or he might have just decided on someone else...I’d hoped…” 

Your voice trailed off, and Loki became concerned that you were actually crying. 

“You sent the candy and flowers to me, yes?”

“Yes,” you answered after a slight hesitation. 

You still hadn’t sat up, so you missed his slight smile. Loki took a swallow of his drink before speaking again. 

“You were very clever to have kept me guessing these last few weeks,” he told you quietly. “There wasn’t even a hint that it was you. Please sit up now.”

“If I’d been clever, I’d have signed the damn card,” you replied, your voice breaking as you sat up like he asked. 

That’s when you caught sight of your reflection in the mirror at the back of the bar, and you were horrified. Apparently, the mascara you used wasn’t waterproof despite what the package said. You dug into your small purse for a tissue and a mirror. 

“Norns! I look hideous!” 

Tears welled in your eyes despite your effort not to cry, then you heard Loki make a sound that seemed suspiciously like a laugh. Several tears did escape as you turned to face him with a hurt expression. 

“Are -are you laughing?” 

“No, _NO_ ,” he assured you. “You’ve picked up my vernacular, and it surprised me is all.”

“Oh.”

You gave up on trying to get rid of your raccoon eyes with a sigh and another sniffle before you propped your head on your hand. You idly fiddled with the eyeglasses that you had laid on the bar. 

When the bartender refilled your whiskey, you tossed it back without hesitation, and Loki’s eyebrows went up at the sight. He reached over to take your hand then brushed his thumb across your fingers. 

“So,” he started, hesitantly, “since both our dates were apparent disasters, would you like to try again?”

“I don’t know, my makeup is a mess, and I’m soaked to the skin…” you replied, uncertainly. “We could go to my apartment…no, better not...I don’t have a speck of food…”

Loki started to say something but you hurriedly spoke again before he thought that you were rejecting him. 

“I-I could go change and be back here...if you wanted, of course,” you offered. “I wouldn’t take long.”

“That will be fine,” he smiled, much to your relief. 

Your heart pounded again as you slid off the barstool but paused before leaving. 

“You won’t leave?”

“I won’t leave,” he replied, as he handed your glasses to you. 

— — —

Once in your apartment, you quickly kicked off your boots, then your dress landed on the bed as you rushed to the bathroom. Makeup was scrubbed off to be replaced with a light application of foundation and mascara. 

You dressed in record time, for you at least; before leaving the apartment, you checked a mirror again. The time for fancy had passed, but you thought that it would do for your first date with Loki. He’s already seen you at your worst, so anything had to be an improvement, you reasoned. 

When you were back at the pub, you glanced around anxiously for him, since he was no longer at the bar. He had moved to a booth, you were relieved to discover. He also had the package with the champagne with him. 

He stood when you approached the table, then waited until you were seated before sliding in across from you. Once again, he took your hand after he noticed that you seemed uneasy about something. 

“How did you manage to keep your secret for so long?” he asked you. “I always know when someone lies to me.”

“I never lied,” you replied, in surprise. 

“Did you not?”

“No. You never asked me directly if I knew who sent the candy, or if it was me. You only asked whether I’d put them on your desk.”

“I stand corrected,” Loki said, with a smile. “Something is troubling you, though.”

“If- if things don’t work out after this, I wouldn’t mind being friends, if you want. I could show you around the city. There are bookstores, libraries and even theatre if you wanted a companion…”

“I don’t want to be friends.”

His blunt reply caught you off guard and left you flustered. What could you say to that?

“I understand,” you whispered, dropping your gaze when tears threatened to well up again. 

You tried to withdraw your hand but he didn’t let go. 

“I think we can do much better than that, don’t you?”

Surprised, your eyes met his and you caught your breath at his smile. Loki then raised your hand in order to kiss your palm. 

“Yes, yes we can.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just a wee bit more. Funny how driving to/from work will give you additional ideas.

“Are you hungry?” You asked, after a moment. “I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“I’m always hungry,” Loki replied. 

From the way that his green eyes glinted, you weren’t sure if he meant for food or something else, but since you were famished, you decided that food would do for now. 

He allowed you to order for him, so you got several different appetizers and finger foods, enough to cover the table. Loki was game and tried the hot wings and you laughed when he decided that “nuclear” should be banned.

He sampled the quesadillas and chicken fingers, then the sliders before finding something that he would eat. You ended up having to order more, since his appetite apparently rivaled that of his brother. 

You both were oblivious to the fact that Thor and Jane had seen you through the pub’s window when they returned from their own dinner. They watched how easily Loki smiled and laughed with you. Thor smiled, too, thinking that you appeared to be just what his brother needed right now. Maybe Loki’s loneliness would be eased now. 

After the table was cleared of dishes, you ordered dessert, with Loki asking for champagne glasses. He then moved to sit beside you. One arm went over the back of the bench, while he took your hand again. You’d never thought him to be a hand-holder, but you definitely weren’t complaining and tried to put extra effort in keeping your hands from shaking. 

When the dessert and glasses came, he opened the champagne and caught the cork before it could escape. The wine was still cool, and once he’d poured, you both tasted it. 

“Okay, it’s not the best,” you said. “But it’s not the worse. I suppose the restaurant gets it in bulk.”

“It’s not that bad,” Loki commented, speculatively. 

You glanced at him with a tilt to your head. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly. 

“Okay, I agree, it’s not the best. The worst champagne in Stark’s wine rack is better than this.”

After a few minutes, Loki spoke again, causing you to turn slightly in your seat so that you could look at him. 

“So, what else do mortals exchange on this Valentine’s Day celebration?”

“Mostly candy and flowers, although the jewelry stores get their fair share of the gift exchange,” you replied. “Some take trips, too.”

“I didn’t come prepared with a gift,” he said. 

“It’s alright,” you assured him, hastily. “Seeing as it’s technically our first date, you don’t have to give me anything. Your company and the fact that I wasn’t entirely humiliated is enough.”

“Still, you should have something,” he replied. 

He was quiet for a couple minutes while he thought about it, then a red rose appeared out of nowhere in his hand. You started to take it but he stopped you. 

“Watch.”

The rose slowly changed into an exquisite glass version, and you were afraid to touch it, it seemed so fragile. 

“It’s beautiful,” you whispered. “Will it break?”

“No, nor will it fade,” he responded. “Is this acceptable?”

“It’s more than acceptable,” you said, with a sniffle. “I’m sorry, I think I’ve cried more tonight than...well, it’s been awhile.”

Loki moved his arm to circle your shoulders so that he could pull you closer to him. You leaned into his embrace, careful not to assume too much. You didn’t want to appear to ask for more than he was willing to give on a first date. 

He gave you the rose, then you gently ran a fingertip along the petals. You would keep it in a safe spot to make sure that nothing happened to it. It was the best gift you’d received in a long time. 

“Now, is it also customary to kiss on this occasion?”

Okay, now you just _knew_ that your heart would pound out of your chest. There was no way that he wouldn’t be able to hear it. 

“If-if you like.” Words nearly failed you, so you also nodded. 

So, Loki gently stroked your cheek before his fingers went under your chin. You raised your face to his; his lips touched yours lightly at first, then when he did kiss you, you felt the breath leave your lungs. 

_Wow,_ you thought. _It’s definitely worth the risk of trying to steal him._

Afterwards, when the champagne bottle was empty and the bill paid, Loki escorted you to your apartment door. He didn’t come in, but left you with another kiss and said he hoped that you’d have pleasant dreams. 

_Oh, I most definitely will._

You were quite certain of that. 

— — —

When you arrive at the lab the next morning, Jane, Bruce and Thor were already there. You gave them a questioning look while putting your satchel underneath your workspace. 

“Why are you all here so early?” You asked, while you moved about to turn on equipment and computers. 

Before they could reply, however, Loki arrived. He was taken aback to find Thor there, but since he usually beat Jane and Bruce there each morning, he became a little suspicious. 

“What’s this?” He asked. 

Loki’s eyes narrowed slightly when Thor took your hand as you started past him to get to some equipment. You were flustered as always by Thor’s gesture. 

“Did you find out who sent the candy and flowers?” Thor asked, still holding your hand.

“I did,” Loki replied, with a sigh. 

You waited to see what he would do, since it was unlikely that he’d welcome any public displays of affection, unless it was in a dimly lit pub at least. Loki moved closer to you, then he reached out to remove your hand from his brother’s grasp. His other hand went to the small of your back, lightly touching you. 

“I knew it!” Thor laughed, while he unashamedly took your other hand.

Loki scowled at him fiercely, and you felt his fingers flex against your back. 

“How do you think that you, out of all the people in this building, could have come to that conclusion?” Loki asked, tightly. 

“Brother, sometimes you fail to see what is right in front of you,” Thor told him, while kissing your hand. 

“Well, I see what is in front of me _now_ , so I will thank you to keep your hands to yourself.”


End file.
